THE BOGSIDE CHILDREN - A Novel of the Troubles - By Steve Raines
CHAPTER 1: Bogside, Belfast — October 5, 1978 The rain fell hard on the gable end, the same rain that had washed through the streets eight years ago when the civil rights march turned to chaos. Sarah O'Neill stood at her window, watching the gray water streak across the peeling paint of the flats. Daniel sat at the small table, his schoolbook open, but his eyes kept drifting to the street. "Mum," Daniel said, "why does Mr. Mitchell look at me like that?" Sarah's hand froze on the curtain. She hadn't meant Daniel to notice. "What do you mean?" "Yesterday. When I was playing with the ball. He was standing at his gate. He looked... sad. Not angry. Just sad." Sarah moved to the table, kneeling beside him. "James Mitchell's a policeman, Daniel. Some people don't like policemen around here." "But he's not like the others. The ones who come in the big vans. He walks. He talks to Mrs. Kelly. He helped her when her ...